


life gets hard

by regrettes



Series: give it just a little time, bet you're gonna change your mind [2]
Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Glee AU, this is based off the scene in duets where sam tries to kiss quinn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 06:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21222335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regrettes/pseuds/regrettes
Summary: rehearsal for their duet doesn't go as planned





	life gets hard

Alyssa Greene knew the effect she had on people, she’d almost always had that effect. However when it came to one person in particular there was really no telling if it was an effect that she wanted to give. So when she was assigned to perform a duet with Emma Nolan, she found herself staring down two paths. One where she used it to her advantage, so she could win the free dinner at Applebees, and the other as a genuine learning experience. It wasn’t a surprise that Emma was one of the better singers in the group, there was a reason that she got a solo nearly every week after all. It wasn’t until Emma started talking about love songs that something in Alyssa chose an unmarked third path, a path she didn’t even know she had chosen.

On her drive home Alyssa found herself listening to the playlist of songs she’d picked out, getting surprised by the few that Emma had added on her own. She hadn’t expected the blonde to really go for the love song route but as _Human Nature _by Michael Jackson followed with _Your Song_ by Elton John came on the list, she found herself getting more on board. Maybe she could find a song that fit both of their styles, or at least worked well enough that they could pull it off. It wasn’t like they were going to pull out some heavy metal or classic opera, but there was a certain way one had to go about a love song for a duet that Alyssa felt she needed to put some thought into it.

That’s when the perfect song hit her.

Grabbing her phone as soon as she parked, Alyssa sent a link to Emma before sending her a text asking when she was free to rehearse. She was surprised by how quickly Emma responded, getting the blonde’s address and almost immediately setting off to her new destination. Her mom was out until later that night so she had plenty of time to figure out how to sing a love song with another girl. She listened to her song choice on the drive there to get her in the right mindset, finding herself singing along with each loop.

_Girl I hear you, in my dreams_

_I feel your whisper across the sea_

Her voice rang out as she pulled into the gravel driveway of the farm she thought was Emma’s, signaling her arrival to anyone that might be around, and attracting the attention of a black and white dog that came bounding up to her car. She grabbed her phone and hopped out, giggling as the dog hopped up on her for attention. Alyssa pet the dog until a voice called out from towards the house, “Jasper! Get off of her!” She looked up, feeling a weird fluttering in her chest as she was met with Emma Nolan. The blonde was in a cut off t-shirt, her flannel tied around her waist. It was a sight that Alyssa hadn’t seen before and she found herself looking at the girl in a new light.

Alyssa pouted slightly as the dog listened and hopped back down, bounding off toward the house and its owner. She followed it with a soft hum, eyes never leaving Emma. Emma seemed a little unnerved by it, but Alyssa kept her smile innocent and soft, not wanting to throw off her duet partner too much. “I didn’t know you employed a personal greeter for guests Emma, nice touch,” Alyssa joked, bumping shoulders with the other girl as she stepped onto the porch. Emma leaned against the railing, chuckling softly to herself before leaning down to pet Jasper.

“She means well, she just also has free reign of my grandma’s entire estate, so she greets guests when they arrive. You just so happen to be the first guest of mine to come over.” There was a tone to Emma’s voice that Alyssa couldn’t quite decipher, almost as if she was sad. The brunette didn’t put too much thought into it as Emma perked up and continued speaking, “We have the house to ourselves until at least eight? Greg is over at Nick’s working on their duet and Gran is out, so we don’t have to worry about interruptions.” She ran a hand through her hair, meeting Alyssa’s eyes.

“Oh cool, that gives us plenty of time to rehearse and see if _Lucky_ works. If it doesn’t we can always find one that does? Work a few options so we know how we sound together, you know?” Alyssa explained, sliding a hand into her pocket and motioning with her head toward the door, “Shall we?” She let Emma lead her into the house, looking around at the decor as she was led into what looked like Emma’s room. It was a pale green and decorated with enough nerd culture that she was sure it wasn’t Greg’s. “I like your Riverdale poster,” Alyssa chuckled before noticing the Harry Potter books sitting on the shelf and getting an excited look in her eyes. She wandered over to the shelf, fingers tracing the spines of each book carefully, “A _Harry Potter_ nerd too? I would’ve never pictured that of you Emma.”

“I’m a mysterious woman Alyssa Greene, better get used to it,” Emma chuckled, grabbing her guitar from one corner of the room and turning back to face the brunette. She strummed it softly, making sure it was in tune before she started the opening chords. “I already learned this one on guitar, it’s pretty simple to learn,” She hummed, “_Do you hear me? I’m talking to you.” _Alyssa felt something in her heart stop as she heard Emma sing. Sure, she’d heard her before but there was something different about it when she was in Emma’s room, sitting on the edge of her bed. The intimacy that she felt in that moment was something she hadn’t felt with any of her boyfriends before.

The way she looked so at peace with herself as she played and Alyssa couldn’t help but wonder for a brief moment how it would-

No.

She stopped herself, furrowing her brow as Emma continued to goof around with the song. She couldn’t let herself think like that. They were duet partners for a competition, not anything more. She knew that she couldn’t let herself think about Emma as anything else because the way her smile made her eyes crinkle struck a nerve in Alyssa that made her brain short circuit in the best way imaginable.

“‘Lyssa?” Emma asked, waving a hand in front of the brunette’s face with that same goofy smile gracing her lips. As soon as Alyssa came back down out of her own head she was immediately greeted by what clearly was a face sculpted by the Gods. “I have an idea for what could make the duet better. Like, instead of just me playing guitar while we sing. What if we both played?” Emma’s suggestion came with her sitting next to Alyssa on the bed, but her eye contact never wavered. There was a sort of intensity hiding behind the kind gaze that Alyssa couldn’t place, and it put something in the pit of her stomach that was nearly immovable.

“I don’t know how to play guitar,” Alyssa said, tilting her head, “besides, I don’t own a guitar. How could we both play on only one?” She raised an eyebrow, not failing to notice how Emma’s hand gently brushed hers as the girl sat beside her. There was nearly no distance between them, but a part of Alyssa didn’t mind in the least. That part of herself was met with the rest of her screaming to put some distance between them. She’s supposed to be focusing on the duet and then on herself. She didn’t need a distraction from that, no matter how welcome of a distraction Emma Nolan might be.

“Give me your hand,” Emma asked, holding out her own hand. Her eyes were still carefully watching Alyssa, “do you trust me?” As if she were Jasmine and Emma was Aladdin, Alyssa slipped her hand into Emma’s and let the blonde guide her hand to the neck of the guitar. “You just... put your fingers like this and then I’ll strum like this,” Emma kept her focus on Alyssa’s hand as her other strummed, moving them along the frets, “See? It’s easy. Then we can work on singing while you move your fingers. Put uhm,” Emma paused, clearly trying to think about her next words carefully. Her eyes looked up to meet Alyssa’s with a look that the brunette couldn’t decipher.

Something about Emma was drawing her closer, Alyssa biting her lip as she met the girl’s hazel eyes. “Put..?” She asked, a soft smile on her face as she thought about where the girl’s words could possibly go. Without warning, Emma stood, pulling Alyssa up with her. Out of reflex to catch her balance, Alyssa grabbed onto Emma’s hip with her free hand, her other staying on the guitar.

Emma continued strumming, eyes never leaving Alyssa’s, “Put your hand on my waist like that, it gives us a more intimate appearance.” Alyssa had to agree, despite her focus drifting from Emma’s eyes and her hand on the guitar to Emma’s lips for a brief moment. She looked back up to Emma’s eyes to find that the blonde’s gift had drifted as well. Before she could truly focus on what was happening, Emma leaned forward, the already non-existent distance between them closing. She leaned into the kiss for a moment, a light smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Wait. No.

She pulled back, putting about a foot of distance between them and bringing a hand up to her lips. “I-I can’t do this. We can’t do this,” her voice wavered, knowing that she was right but not wanting to admit it. “I can’t lose focus of what’s important this year. Myself, my grades. I can’t let myself get close to someone else because I’ll start to trust and then I’ll start to fall and I’m not even _gay_ so I-”

“That kiss definitely didn’t feel straight Alyssa. But you’re right. We shouldn’t do this, we need to focus on the duet. A-And...” She paused, a look in her eyes that made Alyssa second guess pulling away from the kiss. The look of affection in her eyes was something that Alyssa hadn’t seen someone look at her with before. “I don’t want you to lose focus on what’s important to you. I’ll do anything to make sure you’re happy and okay,” Emma stated simply before setting the guitar on the bed and giving a sad smile, “Please know that I never plan to kiss you again, unless we’re both entirely consenting parties or you ask me to.”

Alyssa felt something in her heart break for the blonde, but she nodded, crossing the distance between them and pressing a soft kiss to Emma’s cheek. “Thank you, Emma. Should we keep practicing?” She kept her voice soft, one arm resting on Emma’s shoulder as the other girl nodded.

This would be an intimate duet. Alyssa could feel it.

**Author's Note:**

> please don't come for me for loving glee in the year of our lord 2019.
> 
> comments and kudos are nifty! tell me what scenes from glee you'd like to see interpreted for this series! love u all!


End file.
